In What Way Are The More Expensive Car Batteries Better than The Standard Models?

witsa on 27/11/2022 - 17:28

Got a CRV and think the battery is going to die soon so thought I'd get ahead of the game and but a battery before it does.

Just wondering whether to go for quality or just get the cheapest one from a reputable brand. What do you usually get from a more expensive battery?

For example at battery works they have two batteries that fit the CRV.

https://www.batteryworld.com.au/search?id=35995,36005&make=HONDA&model=CR-V&year=2012+-+2017&series=2.0+iVtec+(RE5%2C+RM1)+Petrol+Front-Wheel+Drive+SUV

Both are yausa - the ultra is 240$ and the non ultra one is $210. What battery would I get getting the more expensive one?

Automotive Car Battery Rechargeable Battery

Comments

  • pegaxs on 27/11/2022 - 17:36

    Slightly higher CCA on the more expensive one (480 vs 430). And that is about it. Both are flooded lead acid, so other than slightly more capacity, they are the same.

    Does your car have "stop/start" when you pull up at traffic lights? If not, go the cheaper one.

    And for me, the non-ultra one is showing at $189…

    • witsa on 27/11/2022 - 17:53

      Nice one. One more stupid question - what is CCA?

      • MS Paint on 27/11/2022 - 18:04
        +6

        Canadian Curling Association

      • Gunnar on 27/11/2022 - 18:23
        +1

        Cold crank amps. This is a very plain English definition of it but with CCA The higher the number the better the battery will turn your engine over, especially On the cold
        Weather

        • witsa on 27/11/2022 - 18:45

          Ok so would the higher CCA mean the battery will last longer? Or just that I might need one for a car with a bigger engine or have more electronics

          • Richardc on 27/11/2022 - 19:03

            @witsa: Longer warranty on the ultra (40months)

          • pegaxs on 27/11/2022 - 19:08
            +3

            @witsa: No, CCA is a measure of a batteries ability to empty its charge in the shortest time. The higher the CCA, the more “punch” it has to do it’s job.

            There may be a correlation between the higher CCA and longevity, but only because of the higher starting CCA. Either type will deteriorate at about the same rate, but the higher CCA battery may feel like it last longer.

  • mskeggs on 27/11/2022 - 20:44

    I don’t know anything about how Century make batteries, though I have met some of their staff who seemed very nice.
    But the differentiation here is classic market positioning.
    Performance is almost the same, warranty too, but you pay a small amount for the better one.
    A high number of people won’t care about the extra $30, and will feel good they bought the ‘better’ one. And I bet that almost all that $30 is pure profit.

    So if it is worth the $30 for you to feel good about the ‘premium’ model, go ahead, or enjoy the saving and know you weren’t trapped by marketing.

    • witsa on 27/11/2022 - 21:04

      Yep it's just enough that you might go "yeah might as well do it for peace of mind". Lucky I have ozb to guide me though!

  • Leadfoot6 on 28/11/2022 - 03:02

    Century Ultra High Performance -67 efmf in my Magna, are Australian made.
    Help your country.
    3 years warranty when I purchased mine & a big 640 CCA.
    It lasted exactly 4 years, so I replaced with the same that now has 40 months warranty.
    $189 in February.

  • darshu on 28/11/2022 - 06:40
    +1

    Simple, NS60LS MF has a 30-month warranty with 45 Ah, 430 CCA and 75 RC
    NS60LSX MF has a 40-month warranty +5Ah, +50CCA and +5 RC compared to NS60LS MF battery. RC does not matter much, but Ah which determines how much battery capacity in the battery and CCA which tells how much current can be drawn from the battery are important. e.g, a 50 Ah battery means you can draw 50A for an hour or 10A for 5 hours, theoretically.

    If you can afford to go with the NS60LSX MF it has an extra 10-month warranty and that is a quite long time for a battery to last, especially if you are not driving a lot.

    • ab c on 06/11/2024 - 11:01

      Century current-series: 75D23 vs NS70

      What are the REAL-differences ?
      Both fit my Mazda3 2011
      I do MANUAL-stop-start @ traffic-lights, but do maintain battery for max. life.
      My current battery is a Century 75D23L (NOT-MF) & it's 8.5yrs old…final-week of life & need constant-charging to start-car.

      Thanks

      • darshu on 06/11/2024 - 12:19
        +1

        8 years for a car battery is pretty good.
        I would go with 75D23 MF it's $217.60 at Repco. I don't think MF batteries will last 8 years but a 40-month warranty with 620CCA crank power should be sufficient for your needs.

        • ab c on 11/11/2024 - 19:34

          I don't think MF batteries will last 8 years

          Reason ?

    • ab c on 12/11/2024 - 19:55

      Your comments seem consistent with my-experience & research.

      Frugalness has consequences….every time I placed TOO-much emphasis on price, I buy again, or sooner. You DO get what you paid for…with research, trials-&-errors.

      My Century 75D23L died 9-Nov-24 after 8.5 yrs: proof below. Workshop-manual suggests 75D23L or 55D23L: the 1st rated higher Ah, CCA, RC, weight, warranty & costs: Century-brand.

      During it's life, I practised MANUAL stop-start @ traffic-lights, metro-driving & this's a killer-process due to EXTRA-cranking & hence reduce-life. I wonder how many months I would have gain if I didn't practise this ?
      Did watering for the 1st time ~2 years ago 😱: water level was VERY-LOW (noticed hesitations in starting) & a long-shot that worked in a 6yrs old battery, lol. Btw, during summers this battery endure many-days > 35°C.
      I also maintained it via periodic trickle-charging, including accidentally left cabin-light-on, more-frequent in winter-months, 1 week away from home (even had it on a timer with 1hr daily charge) etc.
      I often ride locally (< 3km) rather than drive.

      Replacement battery: Century 75D23L MF. I overlooked 'SuperCharge Gold Plus 'MF75D23L' ~ $20 less because of Century-experience & Century's higher lead-content (kg 16.8 vs 15.3) I overlooked Century-55D23L due to capacity (Ah: 70 vs 60, CCA: 620 vs 540, RC: 120 vs 105), weight (kg: 16.8 vs 15.3) & warranty (Mths: 40 vs 30)…EXTRA-life is worth $40 ($270vs $230) because I work.

      Easy-win considerations ?
      1.20% off rotational-sales by 3-auto-franchises & money-back offers, eg TopCashback ?
      2.good maintenance practices to get max. life, eg NO manual-stop-start & inspect water-level, 🤣.

      'A29KL' code was etched onto my-battery & Century told me that it was manufactured in Oct-15 & purchased ~ Jan-16. https://ibb.co/MM9yyQc, https://ibb.co/qYqsC09

      Li-on battery: @ ~ twice-the-price maybe it's not bang-for-buck?

  • [Deactivated] on 08/11/2024 - 00:14

    In practice nothing, but usually the 'higher' tier have better warranty which IMO is very important. I just had a Century Ultra Hi Performance replaced in a tad over 12 months after it completely died and wouldn't hold charge in an AU falcon. It did go flat because the car wasn't driven for 2-3 months but that happened once it it was dead.

    Likewise I've had shit luck with "RJ Batteries" whatever rebranded crap they are, mechanic I go to also stopped using them due to the high failure rate. Meanwhile I've never had any issues with Optima Yellow Tops but they are very expensive and STILL have shit warranties (3 years max)

    Last couple beater car's I've had I just go get a secondhand battery from the wreckers for $30-40 so far they've lasted just fine

  • joshash on 12/11/2024 - 22:35

    I love it when a battery with a warranty dies just a few months before the warranty expires. That's a huge win

    • ab c on 13/11/2024 - 08:36

      Warranty is a guide…how many people read what IS in the warranty ?

      Likely that your-experience prove that your use, practices, choice, circumstances etc…can-be-improve ?

      I hope that I've provide information @ this post for people to apply critical-thinking to their-application: allow an 'average-Joe' to match the warranty period (eg maintenance).

      STARTING-point 😰 -> https://batteryuniversity.com/article/bu-403-charging-lead-a…

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